"That's a nice gun." I said
"Thanks, it's called crimson thorn." she replied while handing it to me "It's the sister gun to yours."
I aimed the gun at a tree and pulled the trigger; it had prefect accuracy. I handed it back to her and pulled out mine. She took it and looked it over before handing it back and saying "Beautiful aren't they?"
I nodded in agreement; "We should check on the night class." I said
"Sure."
I led the way to the main campus where the night class had just started class. The two of us split up to cover more ground and when I rounded the corner to meet back up with Ayame I found her surrounded by a few night class students including Rima. They were questioning her about Shiki but she was refusing to tell them anything she just kept yelling that it was none of their business and to leave her alone.
"Hey what's going on here?" I shouted as I got closer
Most of the night class backed off but Rima was still in Ayame's face. The two girls stood and glared at each other for several minutes.
"I want to know what's going on between you and Shiki; he's been depressed since that first day you showed up!"
"And I told you it's none of your business, why don't you go ask him?"
"Because he hasn't spoken since you arrived!"
Shiki walked up behind Rima and said "Rima leave the girl alone."
"But…!"
"I said leave her alone!" he shouted
"Why?"
"Rima please just drop this okay!" he replied
He gave Ayame an apologetic look before dragging Rima away. The two of us finished patrolling in silence; before heading down town to hunt our vampire which wasn't a problem. Ayame let me take the lead while she followed behind just in case we found some trouble. I could tell she just wanted to go be alone, but we had work to do.
We found our vampire hanging out at a nearby night club; he was trying to take an extremely drunk girl home. Ayame lured him away from the girl and down an alleyway where I was waiting to pounce.
"Girls in a school uniform are hot." said the vampire
"You're not too bad looking yourself." she giggled while pulling him in to position.
I leap down from the balcony above and shoved the paper in the vampires face. He was surprised but he realized he had nowhere to go, Ayame was blocking his exit, as I pulled the trigger and disposed of yet another vampire.
We headed back to school in silence; and once there Ayame headed directly to her room. I couldn't help but watch her through her window as she sat on her bed in a t-shirt and shorts staring at her mother's picture. She was rubbing her arm with the scar as if it was bothering her; which reminded me of when the bite on my neck hurt and I'd rub it like crazy.
As I watched her I realized her hair had different color highlights mixed in it which were a light burgundy color and a brown color similar to Yuki's, and it went all the way down to her elbow. "Why hadn't I noticed this before?" I thought
She looked out the window a few seconds later, she smiled and shook her head; then opened the window and said "You gonna sit out there and stare at me all night."
I smiled and jumped through her window; I then plopped down in the chair and said "Just seeing if you were okay."
"Oh really I thought you just liked my chair." she teased
"Well it is a nice chair." joked back
She threw a pillow at me and the two of us began pillow fighting and wrestling; it was the most fun I had with a girl before in my life. By the end of our fun we were both lying on the floor next to each other laughing.
"This is the most fun I've had since I was a kid."
"Me too." I replied
"You know Zero; you're actually a really cool guy."
"Ah thanks?" I replied
"No Zero I mean it, everyone says you're just a hard ass with a bad attitude, but I think it's just an act, the real you, the you underneath the hard exterior is a pretty cool guy." she said to me
I was so touched that I leaned over and kissed her on the cheek. Then I sat back and said "When I'm around you I feel like a new person, it's like I can be my old self, the happy Zero I used to be; I forget everything else, I forget my parent's being killed, I forget being a vampire , I just forget everything bad."
Next thing I knew she was on my lap and the two of us were kissing. She unbutton my shirt and I picked her up while still kissing and walked over to her bed; as we laid there making out she reached for my belt and was about to unbuckle it when someone knocked on her door causing both of us to jump. I dove out her window and into the trees. She opened the door to her room only to find Shiki standing on the other side.
"Shiki! What are you doing here?" Ayame asked
"I couldn't stop thinking about you." he replied "I worry about you."
"Look; Senri I'm fine you don't need to check on me okay."
"But…."
"Senri! Seriously, what happened wasn't you fault."
"But the way you looked at me…I….."
"Sorry about that, I wasn't expecting to see you; it opened some old wounds."
"I understand; it's hard to see my face again."
"Yeah but knowing it's you and not that monster makes it easier; so I'm okay."
"Well, that makes me feel little better, thanks for not telling the others."
"No problem, I'm kind a hoping we can be friends."
"Me too." he said before leaving her room.
She closed the door behind him and ran to the window; as she stuck her head out she whispered "Zero, Hey Zero are you out there?"
"Yeah I'm here." I replied
I climbed down from my branch and through her window. She sat down on her bed and patted the spot next to her. I sat down and leaned against the wall and pulled her into my lap so that her head was resting on my chest. Soon both of us were fast asleep. That night was the most peaceful sleep I'd had since I was a child.
In the morning I woke up to find Ayame half dressed. She was changing into her uniform, and I just couldn't look away. When she turned around I quickly looked away, I knew I was caught but she didn't seem to cover up or freak out. All she did was smile and say "Good morning Zero."
"Morning." I replied yawning.
"Here." she said throwing a pack of blood tablets at me. I realized I hadn't taken any since I drank her blood the other morning. In face I didn't really feel like taking any at that moment either. I shoved them into my pocket and snuck down the hall to my room; once I had changed I headed to class.
The next few weeks flew by in a blur, every day was the same. I go to class, do my prefect duties with Ayame, we'd either go on a vampire hunt or patrol the campus all night. Then we'd hang out in her room or go our separate ways. I never asked her about Shiki's visit even though it was bugging the hell out of me. But if she wanted to tell me about it she would have and it really was none of my business. It was just before Halloween and the Chairman decided to have a masquerade ball to celebrate. He asked that Ayame and I watch over the party and have some fun at the same time.
The day before the ball Toga had Ayame and I do some hunter training, we were in the court yard of the school grounds sword fighting; when out of the blue Ayame said "Will you dance with me at the ball?"
"I'm not a big dancer sorry."
"How about if I beat you, you'll dance with me?"
"And if I beat you?" I asked
"Then… you don't have to dance with me and I'll patrol the campus alone for one night to give you a break."
"Okay deal." I said
The two of us were going strong for about an hour before I had her pinned on the ground; I was just about to say I won when she swiped my feet out from under me and took my sword. As I lay there on the ground she danced around shouting I won, I won over and over again. I hadn't realized that half of the night class were watching us until Maria started clapping.
"Shouldn't you all be in class?" I growled
"We were but we saw the two of you from the classroom window and decided to come watch." said Aido
"Well get back to class all of you!" I shouted while standing up. I brushed the grass off of me and stormed off. I hated the thought of being beaten by a girl; but being beaten by a girl in front of the night class was even worse.
I was about to head over to the barn to visit lily. I hadn't stopped by there in a while and I kind of missed her. When I arrived I was struck by my vampire thirst again; this time it hit me harder than ever I reached into my pocket and pulled out the blood tables and downed the whole pack.
I needed a rest so I decided to lie down on the hay and soon I was fast asleep. I woke up several hours later to the sound of someone shouting my name. I sat up slowly; feeling a little groggy and disoriented. After a few seconds Ayame came into the barn. Lily thrashed and kicked at her for a few seconds before Ayame pulled out a carrot and handed it to her.
"Easy girl, easy." she said to the horse
She began brushing the horse's mane, so I stood up and walked over to her.
"Hey sleepy head." she said while still brushing lily.
"Hey." I yawned "What time is it?"
"Around nine thirty."
"What?" I replied in shock, "Had I actually slept that long?"
"Don't worry Zero; I took care of everything, but I had to come find you cause we have hunter's orders, and I'm not allowed to go alone." she said handing me a piece of paper from the hunters association.
The sun was just setting as we walked out of the barn. I told Ayame to meet me at the front gate in thirty minutes; I wanted to change out of my uniform before going on a hunt. Back in my room I changed into a pair of jeans and a t-shirt before downing a few more blood tablets and loading my gun full of bullets.